Enterprise

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what recent measures he has introduced to encourage and support people who wish to start their own enterprise.

Stephen Timms: This Government continue to encourage and support people who wish to start their own enterprises via Business Link branded services. Business Link assisted 183,000 pre starts in the year ending March 2007.
	The Business Link website www.businesslink.gov.uk also attracted 7 million unique visitors in the year ending March 2007.

World Trade Organisation

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, if he will make a statement on progress in the World Trade Organisation talks.

Gareth Thomas: We regret that G4 members failed to agree a common platform in the DDA negotiations last week in Potsdam. We welcome Pascal Lamy's, intention to continue negotiations in Geneva. We continue to encourage all WTO members to work constructively with Pascal Lamy and the Chairs of the Negotiating Groups to try to take the negotiations forward to achieving an ambitious, pro-development outcome to the Doha Round.

Insolvency Service

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what recent assessment he has made of the performance of the Insolvency Service; and if he will make a statement.

Patrick McFadden: The performance of The Insolvency Service is assessed by Ministers following the submission of a quarterly report by the Agency Chief Executive, the most recent report being received in May 2007. Ministers also assessed the performance of the agency in setting its targets for 2007-08. The targets set for 2007-08 were announced in the House by way of ministerial statement on 29 March 2007.

Carbon Sequestration

Nick Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what work his Department is undertaking on the research and development of carbon sequestration in the United Kingdom.

John Hutton: The Government announced in the Budget in March 2007 that a competition to build the UK's first commercial scale demonstration of CCS will take place. As indicated in the recent "Energy White Paper", the competition is expected to launch in November and we intend that it will be up and running sometime between 2011 and 2014. Current indications are that we will be among the first—if not the first—in the world to do this.
	The Government are also working towards a regulatory regime which will manage the safe and reliable storage of CO2 and does not conflict with international agreements. We currently expect to consult on UK regulation of CCS in November.
	Regulatory work also includes amendments to international conventions and working towards the inclusion of CCS in the EU ETS. The UK has already taken the lead in proposing and securing amendments to the London convention and OSPAR treaties which legalise CO2 storage beneath the seabed, a major step towards enabling the implementation of CCS.
	With Norway we have established a taskforce to establish the underlying principles for CO2 storage in the North sea basin. The work of the taskforce is progressing well and has already produced its first deliverable, a report on a set of common principles for the regulation and management for storing CO2 in geological formations beneath the seabed.
	DBERR also supports research and development for carbon capture and storage (CCS) through the Technology programme. During 2005-06 some £3.5 million was set aside for Carbon Abatement Technologies of which £2.3 million has been allocated to CCS. This funding will continue through 2007 at which stage the new arrangements for the Technology Strategy Board and Energy Technologies Institute will be introduced.
	Additionally £35 million has also been allocated for the demonstration of components for CCS technologies. To date some £1.4 million of those funds has been set aside for one project.
	Funding is also made available by the Research Councils. The following table outlines their expenditure on CCS research to date:
	
		
			   £ 
			 2000-01 23,000 
			 2001-02 42,000 
			 2002-03 78,000 
			 2003-04 30,000 
			 2004-05 966,000 
			 2005-06 1,072,000

Homosexuality: Intimidation

Andrew Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what steps are being taken by the Government to tackle homophobic bullying in the workplace.

Patrick McFadden: The Government believe that workers should be able to work without fear of being bullied or harassed in the workplace. The Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003 provide specific protection against discrimination, victimisation and harassment in the workplace on the grounds of sexual orientation. Individuals who feel that they have been treated unfairly on those grounds may make a claim to an Employment Tribunal.
	ACAS has published guidance on the legislation and provides a nationwide telephone advice line offering assistance to employers and employees on bullying and other employment issues.
	The Department's Partnership at Work Fund has made available £1 million to a project involving Amicus BT, Legal and General, BAE Systems and Royal Mail to address the issue of bullying in the workplace. The project promotes best practice and workplace initiatives to tackle bullying.

Post Offices: Cash Dispensing

Don Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many free-to-use cash machines have been installed in sub-post offices.

Patrick McFadden: This is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. Alan Cook the managing director has been asked to reply direct to the hon. Member.

Post Offices: Stafford

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many representations Post Office Ltd. received in response to its consultation on the moving of the Stafford Crown Post Office to WH Smith; and how many of the responses raised problems about access.

Patrick McFadden: This is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. Alan Cook, the Managing Director has been asked to reply direct to the hon. Member.

Power Stations: Peterhead

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform pursuant to the answer of 25 June 2007,  Official Report, column 144W, on Power Stations: Peterhead, what additional sequestration projects might be approved in the next  (a) three months and  (b) six months.

Malcolm Wicks: None. Any project/s which go ahead following the competition to build the UK's first commercial-scale demonstration of Carbon Capture and Storage, announced in Budget 2007, will have to satisfy the relevant regulatory, planning and environmental requirements. In addition, the Energy White Paper committed Government to consult on what its power station consents policy should be with regard to carbon-capture readiness by the end of the year.

Productivity

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what steps he plans to take to improve UK productivity over the next 12 months.

Patrick McFadden: Over the past decade the Government have placed the objective of improving the UK's productivity performance at the heart of economic strategy and the policy agenda, which has successfully narrowed the productivity gap with our major industrial competitors.
	Going forward, a wide programme of reforms has been designed under the Government's framework of five-drivers of productivity in order to make further progress. My Department contributes to policies under all five drivers of productivity, but has particular responsibility for taking forward reforms under the enterprise and competition drivers. For example, under the enterprise driver, ongoing work on the Better Regulation Agenda and the Simplification programme, which my Department is leading, will help to create a better framework within which business can operate. Implementing the provisions of the Companies Act which received Royal Assent last year will also contribute to reducing the administrative burdens on business, and at the same time, increase transparency and improve confidence of investors in the UK economy.
	We will work closely with other Departments to take forward the productivity agenda.

Physical Education

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families who is responsible for workforce development on physical education and sport; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: holding answer 3 July 2007
	The Training and Development Agency for Schools has a remit to support the continuing professional development of teachers. Funding for this area is devolved to schools, which are best placed to decide what activities meet the needs of the school and the individual teachers working there. Additional support is available through the PE and School Sport Professional Development Programme which allows schools to draw, free of charge from a menu of resources to help teachers raise the quality of the PE and school sport they provide.

Pupils: Qualifications

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  to how many GCSEs  (a) a CACHE Foundation Award in Caring for Children and  (b) a CACHE Level 2 Certificate in Child Care and Education are considered to be equivalent for the purposes of GCSE performance tables;
	(2)  to how many qualifications included in the secondary school (GCSE and equivalent) performance tables are considered to be equivalent  (a) three,  (b) four and  (c) five or more GCSEs.

Jim Knight: Information on the equivalence of all qualifications used in the achievement and attainment tables is published by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority in the National Database of Accredited Qualifications at:
	http://www.ndaq.org.uk/

Teachers: Stockton on Tees

Dari Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many  (a) teachers and  (b) teaching assistants were employed in (i) primary and (ii) secondary schools in Stockton-on-Tees in (A) 1997 and (B) at the latest date for which figures are available.

Jim Knight: The following table provides the full-time equivalent number of teachers and teaching assistants employed in Stockton-upon-Tees local authority maintained nursery/primary and secondary schools in January 1997 and 2006, the latest year for which figures are available.
	Local authority level information for 2007 is due to be published in September on the Department's website.
	
		
			  Full-time equivalent number of regular teachers and teaching assistants in service in nursery/primary and secondary schools in Stockton-upon-Tees local authority, January 1997 and 2006 
			   Teachers( 1)  Teaching assistants 
			   Nursery/primary  Secondary  Nursery/primary  Secondary 
			 1997 810 750 160 10 
			 2006 820 840 240 100 
			 (1) Excludes occasional teachers.  Note: Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.  Source: Annual survey of teachers in service and teacher vacancies 618 g (teacher numbers), School Census (teaching assistants).

Armed Forces: Training

John Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence where he expects the new accommodation for trainees and military and civilian staff at the military training academy MOD St. Athan to be located.

Derek Twigg: Work to agree specific site plans of the proposed MOD St. Athan site is ongoing. All single living accommodation will be located within the MOD St. Athan boundary however the location of service families accommodation is still to be determined.

Depleted Uranium: Irish Sea

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many depleted uranium shells were fired into the Irish Sea and the waters feeding into the Irish Sea in each of the last 30 years.

Derek Twigg: No depleted uranium (DU) shells have been fired into the Irish Sea. DU projectiles have been fired from Kirkcudbright into the Solway Firth since 1982 and the numbers fired to date are shown in the following table.
	In addition, during 1988 and 1990, 100 and 215 rounds of depleted uranium ammunition respectively were fired into Luce Bay, West Freugh, as part of experimental firings to examine the ricochet effects of ammunitions from the Phalanx weapons system following first water impact.
	The table has been compiled from individual entries in a daily log maintained at Kirkcudbright. While preparing this table, differences were noted between the annual totals obtained on this occasion and the information published in Hansard on 12 March 2001,  Official Report, column 411W, in answer to a similar question. The reason for the discrepancies is because some preparatory rounds, which did not contain DU, were included in the earlier data.
	
		
			   Numbers fired (including malfunctions) 
			 1982 9 
			 1983 56 
			 1984 194 
			 1985 152 
			 1986 118 
			 1987 151 
			 1988 272 
			 1989 434 
			 1990 783 
			 1991 666 
			 1992 781 
			 1993 682 
			 1994 458 
			 1995 286 
			 1996 105 
			 1997 734 
			 1998 134 
			 1999 136 
			 2000 270 
			 2001 126 
			 2002 0 
			 2003 192 
			 2004 0 
			 2005 0 
			 2006 0 
			 2007 0 
			 Total 6,739

Iraq: Casualties

Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many UK service personnel have been  (a) injured and  (b) killed in Iraq since March 2003.

Bob Ainsworth: The Ministry of Defence publishes data on battle and non-battle fatalities and casualties that have resulted from our operations in Iraq since March 2003: details can be found on the Ministry of Defence website:
	http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/FactSheets/OperationsFactsheets/OperationsInIraqBritishCasualties.htm
	This information is updated on a two weekly basis in arrears. Since January 2006, improvements in reporting means that more detailed information can be made available. Work continues to verify and validate data for aeromedical evacuations and field hospital admissions in Iraq prior to January 2006. Once this data is compiled it will be added to the website.
	As at 2 July 2007, a total of 156 British armed forces personnel or MOD civilians have died serving on Operation Telic since March 2003. Of these, 121 are classed as Killed in Action or Died of Wounds. 35 are known to have died either as a result of illness, non-combat injuries or accidents, or have not yet officially been assigned a cause of death pending the outcome of an investigation.
	Over the same period, centrally available records show that 60 UK military personnel were categorised as Very Seriously Injured from all causes and 117 were categorised as Seriously Injured from all causes (in both cases excluding disease).

Peacekeeping Operations: Psychiatry

Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what facilities are available for psychiatric treatment of troops on return to Stockport after service in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Derek Twigg: Our mental health services are configured to provide community-based mental health care in line with national best practice, providing assessment and treatment in line with the guidelines and standards set by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence and the National Service Frameworks. We do this primarily through our 15 military Departments of Community Mental Health (DCMH) (plus satellite centres overseas), which provide out-patient mental healthcare. The geographical location of care is dependent on many factors, including the clinical need and the where the service man or women is currently serving. The geographically closest DCMH to Stockport is situated at Donnington near Telford.
	In-patient care, when necessary, is provided in psychiatric units belonging to the Priory Group, through a central contract with MOD. The geographically closest Priory Group Facility used by the MOD is the Priory hospital, Altringham.
	Any mobilised serviceman or women injured on operational deployment is entitled to, and will receive the same level of medical treatment and support, irrespective of whether they are members of the regular or reserve forces.
	Once demobilised it is a long established tradition that reserve forces' medical welfare becomes the responsibility of their own local NHS primary care trust and the majority of veterans' physical and mental health needs are met by these provisions. However, the MOD recognises that it has an expertise to offer in certain specific circumstances, and in November 2006 launched the Reserves Mental Health programme.
	The RMHP is open to any current or former member of the UK Volunteer and Regular Reserves who has been demobilised since 1 January 2003 following an overseas operational deployment as a reservist, and who believes that the deployment may have adversely affected their mental health. Under the RMHP, we liaise with the individual's GP and offer a mental health assessment at the Reserves Training and Mobilisation Centre in Chilwell, Nottinghamshire. If diagnosed to have an operational-related mental health condition, we then offer out-patient treatment at one of the DCMHs (e.g. Donnington). If more acute cases present, the Defence Medical Services will assist in obtaining access to NHS in-patient treatment.

European Constitution Treaty

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Ministers took part in discussions of the Amending Treaty agreed at the June European Council in the two months prior to the agreement.

Jim Murphy: My right hon. Friends the former Prime Minister (Mr. Tony Blair), the former Foreign Secretary (Margaret Beckett) and the former Minister for Europe (Mr. Hoon) had discussions with EU partners on the subject of EU institutional reform in the period leading up to the June European Council.
	Within Government, the Joint Ministerial Committee (Europe) met on 5 June to discuss the June European Council.

Jamaica: Entry Clearances

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects Ms Vanessa Ann Marie Brown, date of birth 17 May 1979, of Jamaica to receive student entry clearance arising from her successful appeal in February (Appeal No. OA/36531/2006); what the reasons are for the delay; and what procedure is used to inform posts abroad when an appeal has been upheld.

Kim Howells: To conform with the provisions of the Data Protection act, the details of any ongoing visa application are always treated as confidential to the applicant and his/her authorised representatives.
	A backlog of appeals cases at our High Commission in Kingston was identified in January; a programme was immediately put into place to reduce the backlog, with assistance from other visa posts. Significant progress has been made, however there may still be a delay between receipt of the appeal determination and the issue of the visa.
	When an appeal is allowed, the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal (AIT) will forward the Tribunal's determination to the applicant, the applicant's representative and the Respondent (the Home Office). The AIT aims to do this within 12 working days of the hearing.

Uganda: Oppression

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the deaths in Makindye military barracks of three Forum for Democratic Change members, Denis Nabilema, Moses Dramani and David Oboma; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: We are aware of reports in Uganda, including by the media, and the claims by the leader of the Forum for Democratic Change, Dr Kizza Besigye, that three of his party's supporters died in detention; and the comment by the Ugandan People's Defence Force spokeman confirming that David Oboma died recently at Mbuya Military hospital. However, we have not yet received information to confirm this. We will seek further clarification from the Government of Uganda and I shall write to the hon. Member once we have received further information. I will also place a copy of the letter in the Library of the House.

Colorectal Cancer

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were diagnosed with cancer of the bowel in each year since 2001, broken down by acute trust; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: holding answer 4 July 2007
	The information requested by acute trust is not held centrally. Figures of the number of newly diagnosed cases of colorectal cancer for England, broken down by Government Office of the Regions, are published in 'Cancer Registration Statistics Series MB1', which can be found at:
	www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=8843&Pos=&ColRank=l&Rank=224.
	Additionally, the number of colorectal cancer cases broken down by strategic health authority for the years 1993 to 2003 provided by the Office for National Statistics are available on the National Centre for Health Outcomes Development website at:
	www.nchod.nhs.uk/.

Health Services

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which  (a) patient and public interest groups and  (b) professional healthcare regulators have met (i) Ministers and (ii) officials from his Department to discuss the White Paper Trust, Assurance and Safety; and if he will publish written representations made.

Ben Bradshaw: There has been extensive consultation leading up to the publication of the White Paper 'Trust, Assurance and Safety'. The response to the consultation was published in February.
	Further involvement in the implementation of the White Paper will be through the working groups which we announced at the stakeholder conference for the professional regulation reform implementation on 5 June. The conference was attended by over 200 stakeholders and my noble Friend the Minister of State for Health (Lord Hunt) and officials from the Department were able to discuss aspects of the White Paper with most of them during the day. We will be publishing the terms of reference and membership of the working groups shortly.

Health Services: Finance

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department expects to allocate to the Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence  (a) for communication purposes and  (b) to promote public engagement in their four country business plan, with particular reference to her Department's priority work themes arising from the White Paper Trust, Assurance and Safety.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department of Health and the Council of Healthcare Regulatory Excellence (CHRE) have not made any final decisions on the allocation to CHRE, in relation to the additional work set out in the White Paper 'Trust, Assurance and Safety'. CHRE's Business Plan will be agreed soon.

United Health Group

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 21 June 2007,  Official Report, column 2199W, on United Health Group, in which salary band Mr Channing Wheeler's salary falls; whether his employment contract allows for performance bonuses; and what period the contract covers.

Dawn Primarolo: The post of director general for the commercial directorate falls within Senior Civil Service (SCS) payband 3, and a performance bonuses will be payable in line with the Department's SCS pay strategy. The contract is a fixed term for three years.

Antisocial Behaviour Orders

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many antisocial behaviour orders imposed at magistrates' courts in each of the last three years were overturned on appeal.

Vernon Coaker: This data are not available yet but will be published shortly, once their quality has been assured.

Nepal

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when the most recent visit took place by a Minister in his Department to Nepal; and what the outcomes were of the visit.

Shahid Malik: My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development (Mr. Thomas) visited Nepal from 2 to 4 April 2007, a day after the formation of the eight-party interim government in Nepal. During the visit he met politicians from all parties, including the Maoists, representatives from excluded groups and visited DFID-funded programmes. He also had discussions with the UN Mission in Nepal.
	The visit focused on the need for credible, free and fair elections, the importance of a well targeted peace dividend and improved government basic service delivery in the post conflict environment and the need for an inclusive political process. My hon. Friend also announced significant increases in UK development support including £13 million for the government-managed Peace Trust Fund and £23.5 million in multilateral debt relief for the period up to 2015.

Departments: Property

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 20 June 2007,  Official Report, column 1881W to the hon. Member for Welwyn Hatfield (Grant Shapps) on Departments: property, from which organisations his Department received letting income in each financial year from 2003-04 to 2006-07; and how much was received from each organisation.

Angela Eagle: The income the Treasury has received from the subletting of space in the 1 Horse Guards building since 2002-03, by organisation, is given in the following table:
	
		
			  £000 
			   Financial year 
			  Organisation name  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 Cabinet Office(1) 67 -47 150 215 1,095 
			 Exchequer Partnership — 227 162 163 162 
			 Office of Government Commerce — — 67 189 185 
			 Royal Mint 18 19 19 18 22 
			 Economics in Government Unit — — — 53 — 
			 Independent Review of NHS Pathology Services — — — — 19 
			 Foreign and Commonwealth Office — — 2 2 6 
			 National Association of Pension Funds — — — 6 — 
			 Home Office(2) 175 -175 — — — 
			 Others (received less than £5,000 and corrections) 17 -10 15 12 6 
			 Total 211 14 415 658 1,495 
			 (1) The 2003-04 figure includes a £67,000 credit, which cancels the invoice from the previous year. (2) The 2003-04 figure cancels the invoice from the previous year. 
		
	
	It has been drawn to my attention that a written answer given on 20 June 2007,  Official Report, column 1881W by the former Financial Secretary (Mr. Healey) to the hon. Member for Welwyn Hatfield (Grant Shapps) was incorrect in respect to the income received from the subletting of space in 2002-03. The earlier answer reported the total for that year to be nil. However, this figure was net of a transfer of excess income to another account. Before the transfer, the income received from subletting space in the 1 Horse Guards road building during 2002-03 was £277,000. The Treasury very much regrets this inadvertent error.